It’s been a pretty quiet month for me, despite the extra day, but it’s been a big month for booze news so please do read on!

Booze News

The most bizarre booze news of the month (if not the year!) must be that the founder of Bimber Distillery (which I visited way back in 2016 shortly after they launched) has been arrested for conspiracy to murder! Accused of living under the false identity of Dariusz Plazewski since arriving in London in 2004, Lucasz Ratajewski is expected to be extradited to Poland to face charges including conspiracy to commit murder and supplying drugs, in addition to serving an outstanding three-year sentence. According to reports, the Bimber and Dunphail owner has since relinquished responsibilities at both distilleries with operational management passing to the “experienced” teams at both sites.

In an arguably more predictable turn of events, Brewdog have been hitting the headlines again for the wrong reasons, having launched a new tequila that looks uncannily like one of my very favourite gins. Hopefully the publicity at least will serve Lind & Lime well, who handled the situation with style! And, as there’s clearly no love lost here, you won’t be surprised that I was happy to hear Ofcom has rejected a complaint from Brewdog about BBC documentary The Truth About Brewdog which highlighted allegations of inappropriate behaviour by its CEO. As a result, the documentary is now back up on BBC iPlayer and well worth a watch.

Elsewhere Papillon Distillery have very sadly announced that they will be closing their doors at the end of March. While the reasons they cite – covid, the cost of living crisis, soaring fuel and supply costs and, finally, the recent increase in alcohol duty rates – make perfect sense it will, nonetheless, be a great loss to the industry. I would like to wish Claire and Adam all the best for their future and in finding the better life/work balance they seek.

Meanwhile, Verdant Spirits has been saved from closure following acquisition by Stargazey Spirits, the founder of which is none other than my friend and fellow judge Joe Barber. Congrats Joe!

And finally, in more positive news, I’m excited to see the launch of the “Actually Made In” campaign by Manchester Gin, Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, Brighton Gin and Masons of Yorkshire to highlight where gin is actually produced. I have long been frustrated by brands making a geographical claim to a town or location despite the liquid being third-party distilled hundreds of miles away, so I wish them all the best and hope to see lots more distilleries get on board with this sort of transparency.

New Gin Alerts

The biggest release of the month probably has to be The Botanist‘s two cask-matured expressions which are also the brand’s first innovations since its launch in 2010. Embodying the distillery’s whisky-making heritage, and inspired by tequila’s aged classifications, Islay Cask Rested Gin has been matured for a minimum of six months while the Aged Gin has been matured in fine casks for a minimum of three years.

Further afield, Bayab Gin‘s latest release is crafted from botanicals solely grown in Africa, including sap collected from palm trees in West Africa and sweet pineapple from South Africa giving the gin a tropical profile. Mallorca Distillery have also used locally grown botanicals – including lemon, orange, lime and mandarin – in their Palma Citrus Gin, while Silverback are similarly focusing on fruity, floral citrus with their new Clementine & Bergamot Gin.

My Month in Gin

It’s been a remarkably quiet February for me, but my latest column for Drinksbiz – exploring the growth of characterful and eco-friendly vodkas – was published earlier this month if you want to give it a read (and don’t be put off by the opening line!).

Welcome to My Collection

It’s a huge pleasure to welcome East London‘s stunning Kew Gin and also Dryad Gin, which I first had the pleasure of trying at Junipalooza, to my collection. But it’s certainly not just about gin this month! I’ve also been delighted to receive two bottles of Radlow Hundred English wine – including a surprising but deliciously fruity red – a selection of sensational MOTH canned cocktails and a beautiful bottle of Shed 1‘s Quince Vodka made with botanicals grown locally to them in Ulverston Ford Park’s walled garden. Thank you all!

Catching Up and Looking Forward

In addition to my Drinksbiz column, the talk Rosie Milsom and I gave on sustainable packaging at The Gin Guild’s Ginposium last year is now also available to the public. Looking ahead to March, things are starting to get busier again with The Gin Guide and Great Taste awards judging getting underway, Gin Live London taking place and a couple of other exciting events on the horizon. Hope you’ve got a good one lined up too!🍸🛎🛎